when to test for pregnancy if irregular periods?

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Definition
Symptoms
Causes
When to See the Doctor
Diagnosis
Treatment
Getting Pregnant on Your Period
Signs of Ovulation
Causes of Pregnancy on Period
Tests for Pregnancy
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What is pregnancy and irregular periods?

You can tell if you're pregnant even if you have irregular periods with signs of pregnancy other than a missed period, such as implantation bleeding, nausea, swollen or tender breasts, fatigue, frequent urination, mood swings, headaches, backaches, and changes in cravings or aversions.
You can tell if you're pregnant even if you have irregular periods with signs of pregnancy other than a missed period, such as implantation bleeding, nausea, swollen or tender breasts, fatigue, frequent urination, mood swings, headaches, backaches, and changes in cravings or aversions.

Irregular periods can make it difficult to know whether you | re pregnant. It can make it harder to predict ovulation (when a mature egg is released from the ovary) or determine the best date to take a pregnancy test. Depending on the cause, women with irregular periods may also have greater difficulty getting pregnant.

Most women have menstrual cycles that are about 28 days long, give or take a few days on either end. Their cycles may change from month to month but will usually stay within that range.

An irregular menstrual cycle may be less than 24 days or greater than 38 days. Bleeding that lasts longer than eight days is also abnormal.

If you are concerned about irregular periods and pregnancy, there are signs of pregnancy other than a missed period and additional ways to determine when you are most likely to get accurate results with a pregnancy test.

Signs of pregnancy with irregular periods

If you are pregnant, you may experience any or all of the following symptoms of early pregnancy:
Implantation bleeding

Some women bleed at the time of implantation, which occurs about one or two weeks after fertilization. It can be easy to mistake the signs of implantation, which include cramps and bleeding, for a light period. Some things that can help you tell the difference are:

Unlike some periods, implantation bleeding never includes clots of coagulated, or semisolid, blood and tissue.
Implantation bleeding is very light in flow.
While period blood is reddish, implantation bleeding is pink or brown.
Implantation bleeding should only last one to three days.

Nausea

Due to hormonal changes, nausea is one of the most common symptoms of early pregnancy, often starting as early as two weeks after conception. It may or may not be accompanied by vomiting. Low blood sugar levels in the morning often react with the hormones, leading to more frequent nausea in the morning.
Swollen or tender breasts

Some women first notice the effects of pregnancy hormones on their breasts, which can become swollen or tender.
Fatigue

During early pregnancy, your body is changing to accommodate the fetus, which can make you feel tired. Rising levels of progesterone (a hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle) can also contribute to fatigue.
Other symptoms

The following symptoms are less common in the first few weeks of pregnancy but may still occur during the first trimester:

Frequent urination
Mood swings
Headaches
Backaches
Changes in food preference, such as cravings or aversions

Causes of pregnancy with irregular periods

Many women have irregular periods at some point between adolescence and menopause (when a woman | s period stops). Periods are often irregular during adolescence and during perimenopause (when your body makes the natural transition to menopause).

Other causes of irregular periods include:

Eating disorders, such as anorexia
Uncontrolled diabetes
Certain medications
Stress
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Primary ovarian insufficiency

When to see the doctor for pregnancy with irregular periods

You might see the doctor for irregular periods in any of the following cases:

Your period suddenly becomes irregular after being regular
You haven | t had a period for 90 days or more
You have a period more often than every 21 days or less often than every 35 days
Your period lasts for more than seven days
Your period is unusually heavy
Your period is incredibly painful
You bleed in between your periods

Your doctor will help determine the cause of your irregular period and suggest a course of action.